Machine for loading and stacking hay or the like.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

S. MITSGH. MACHINE FOR LOADING AND STAGKI-NG HAY OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION PIL-ED APR. -21, 1903. Nb MODEL.

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PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. s. MITSGH.

MACHINE FOR LOADING AND STAOKING HAY OR THE LIKE.

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APILIOATION FILED APR. 21, 1903.

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UNITE STATES I Patented August 4, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL MITSOH, OF WOODBINE, KANSAS.

MACHINE FOR LOADING AND STACKING HAY OR THE LIKE.

SPEGIFICATIQNforming part of Letters latent No. 735,555, dated August 4,1903.

Application filed April 21, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MITSOH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Voodbine, in the county of Dickinson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Loading and Stacking Hay or the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to machines for loading and stacking hay, grain, and the like in the field; and it consists substantially in the construction, organization, and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide means ina machine of this kind whereby hay,grain, or the like may be loaded upon the machine while the latter is in-motion and also to provide means whereby the elevation or lifting of the load to the desired height is effected during the movement or travel of the machine toward the stack.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character referred to'which is effective and reliable in use or operation and which comprises comparatively few parts, not liable to get out of order, and possessing the capacity for long and repeated service. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kind in which the operation of the different mechanisms thereof may be conveniently regulated or controlled by the operator while seated upon the machine and also to provide a machine of this general character whereby numerous disadvantages and inconveniences heretofore encountered in other similar machines are over-- The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line a: 00 of Fig. 2, of a loading and stacking machine constructed and operated in accordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof, showing more clearly the construction and organization of the different elements of themachine; and Fig. 3 is a View in detail to illustrate more clearly the embodiment of brake employed in Serial No. 153,652. (No model-l connection with one of the Windlass-shafts of the machine.

Before proceeding witha more detailed description it may be stated that in the embodiment of my improvements herein shown I employ a suitable wheel supported frame upon which the several operative mechanisms of the machine are mounted, one of said mechanisms comprising a hay or grain fork adapted to travel along or in proximity to the ground traveled over by the machine combined with suitable devices whereby said fork is caused to be elevated or lifted by means operated from the main axle of the machine.

I also employ suitable means whereby the devices for elevating or lifting the fork may be readily thrown into or out of action, together with additional means for causing such elevation or lifting of the fork to be effected more or less rapidly, accordingly as may be desired,

in operation. Moreover, I also employ other means whereby the said fork may be adjusted to any desired inclination either when moving over the surface of the ground or when being elevated ,or lifted, all substantially as will more fully hereinafter appear.

Specific reference being, had to the several parts by the designating characters marked on the drawings, 1 1 each designates a longitudinal side portion of the'framework or supporting-frame of my improved machine, said side portions being connected at the forward ends thereof by means of an axle 2, having at each of its ends a journal 3, on which is mounted one of the main wheels 4 of the machine, and the rearward ends of the said side portions are connected'by means of a transverse beam 5, the ends 6 of which project laterally, each end portion-having attached thereto suitable draft appliances 7 for the hitching thereto of ahorse or other animal.

Also connecting the said longitudinal side por- ,handle or crank 12 and the rod being pro- ICO whence said cord or chain is passed upwardly to and through a guide-pulley 16, fastened centrally of the under side of a cross-bar 17, conneetin g the inner or rearward ends of parallel longitudinal members 18 18 of a vertically-swinging frame, the said members 18 18 being connected at their forward ends by means of a transverse bar 19, to which is secured in any suitable way the transverse body or stock 20 for the prongs or tines 21, which latter elements and the said body or stock constitute the loading and elevating fork of the machine. Extending rearwardly of the said axle 2, at suitable points within the main supporting-wheels 4, are brackets 22 22, supported in each of which is an end of another Windlass-shaft, 23, and carried by this shaft, near each end thereof, is the slidable member 2 L of a clutch device, which is completed or made up by another member, 25, rigid with the shaft, said slidable member of the clutch being normally acted upon by a spring 26, having its inner bearing against a shoulder 27 on the said shaft, it being noted that the inner ends of the said brackets 22 are secured to the ends of a cross-beam 22 secured to the upper surfaces of the longitudinal side portions 1 1, as shown. Engaging each slidable member 24: of said clutch is the forward end of a pivoted horizontal lever 28, the rearward end of which is in movable connection with an inwardly-extending rod 29, said rods being pivotally united at 30, at which point 30 they are in similar pivotal connection with a longitudinal operating-rod 31, extending to the rearward end of the machine in convenient reach of the operator, and whenever it is desired to disengage the slidable members of the clutch from the other members thereof it is simply necessary to exert a rearward pull upon the said rod 31, whereupon, in virtue of the movable connections just described, the said slidable clutch members will be caused to move inwardly on the said Windlassshaft 23, as is apparent.

Each of the rigid members 25 of the clutches is preferably provided with a sprocket-wheel 32, which is connected to a similar wheel 33, carried by the hub of the adjacent wheel 4 by means of a sprocket-chain 34, and in this way, when the two members of the clutches are in engagement, the said Windlass-shaft 23 will be operated or rotated directly from the said wheels 3 of the machine, as is also apparent. lVound upon this Windlass-shaft 23 are duplicate cords or chains 35, each of which extends upwardly and over a pulley 36, supported at the end of an upwardly and rearwardly inclined member 37, mounted upon the axle 2, and the outer ends of said cords or chains are secured in any suitable manner at 36 to the hereinbefore mentioned transverse bar 10, forming a part of the fork, and from this described organization it is evident that on motion being imparted to the Windlass-shaft 23 in the proper direction the said fork will be elevated or lifted with its load of hay or other material, the said fork being guided in such movement upon the outer faces of the said upwardly and rrarwardly inclined members 37.

Referring back to the cord or chain 15, it may be stated that after passing downwardly from the guide or pulley 16 the same passes beneath a guide or pulley 15 therefor, attached to a cross-strip 38, connecting the longitudinal side portions 1 1 of the supportingframe, whence the remaining end of this cord or chain is coiled or wound about the said Windlass-shaft 23 a sufiicient number of times, as shown in Fig. 2, and it will be seen that by turning the Windlass-rod 11, by means of its handle or crank 12, the supporting-frame for the fork may be caused to swing downwardly to any position desired and in this way may the fork itself be adjusted to any preferred degree of inclination, and at whatever position the said frame may be brought it is apparent that the said cord or chain may at all times be maintained taut between the two Windlass-shafts.

In order that the Windlass-shaft 23 may be locked to sustain the load in elevated position,I preferably employ a brake device therefor, comprising in the present instance substantially two pulleys 40, each rigid with said shaft, and secured to parts of the framework are the inner ends of curved springs 41, which extend over and around said pulleys 40, (see detailed view, Fig. 3,) and connecting the free ends of said springs at 42 are the inner ends of cords or chains 43, which are brought close together at 44, where each of said cords or chains is passed around a guide-pulley 45, the two cords then being united in any suitable way and carried rearwardly of the machine, as indicated at 46, the rearward extremities of these cords being attached to the lower part of a pivoted operating hand-lever 47. (See Fig. 1.) By this means it will be seen that when these cords are drawn upon by the operator while seated upon the machine at 48 the said springs 41 will be compressed to a degree and the inner surfaces thereof will be carried against the adjacent surfaces of the said pulleys 4.0, and in this way more or less friction may be brought to bear by which to regulate or control the motion of the said Windlass-shaft 23, as already mentioned.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the fork may be first lowered to a desired position with reference to the ground-surface traveled over by the machine and by which the same may be caused to pass beneath the load of hay or other material on the ground, and as soon as the load is taken up the slidable members of the clutch devices may be caused to engage the rigid members of said devices, whereupon motion will be imparted to the Windlass-shaft 23 and the said fork will be elevated in a manner quite apparent. This operation of elevating or lifting the load may be effected while the machine is being moved or drawn toward the stack, and it will be seen that the fork and its load maybe thus caused to be elevated or lifted to any desired height. After the load has been deposited the fork maybe allowed to descend of its own weight to the position it first occupied, and it is thought that the c011- struction andoperation of the remaining elements of my improved machine will be fully understood without further explanation.

Any slack produced in the cord or chain 15 may be taken up at any time, and it is to be noted that the upwardly and rearwardly inclined, members 37 at the forward end of-the machine are firmly secured in position by braces 50, (see Fig. 1,) and also that the rearward end of the machine is supported preferably upon a caster-wheel 53.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine for loading and stacking hay and the like, a wheeled supporting-frame, provided with stationary upwardly and rearwardly inclined members at the forward end thereof, said members having guides at their upper ends, a fork slidable up and down on the forward faces of said members, cords connected to said fork, and passing over the guides, a shaft located rearwardly of the forward axle of the machine, upon which said cords are operated to be wound and unwound, means for driving said shaft from said axle, and means extending to the drivers seat for throwing this shaft into and out of operation.

2. In a machine for loadingand stacking hay and the like, a wheeled supporting-frame, provided at the forward part thereof with stationary upwardly-extending members, hav ing their forward faces upwardly and rearwardly inclined, said members bein g provided with guides at their upperends, a fork slidable up and down on said faces, cords connected to the fork, and passing over the guides, a shaft located rearwardly of the forward axle of the machine, upon which said cords are operated to be wound and unwound, means operating from the drivers seat for adjusting said fork to different inclinations, means for driving said shaft from the axle, and means also actuated from said seat, for throwing this shaft into and out of operation.

In a machine for loading and stacking hay and the like, a wheeled supporting-frame," provided at the forward part thereof with stationary upwardly-extending members, having their forward faces upwardly and rearwardly inclined, said members being provided with guides, a fork slidable up and down on said faces, cords connected to the fork, and passing over the guides, a shaft located rearwardly of the forward axle of the machine, upon which said cords are operated to be wound and unwound, a-rearwardly-extending inclined frame attached to said fork, and carrying a guide, a cord passing over this guide, for tilt-ingthe frame-to vary the inclination of the fork, a rearward shaft, upon which this latter cord is wound and unwound, and means foroperating said first-named shaft from the axle.

4:. In a machine for loading and stacking hay and the like, a wheeled supporting-frame, provided at the forward part thereof with stationary upwardly and rearwardly inclinedv members, having the forward faces thereof upwardly and rearwardly inclined, said members .having guides thereon, a fork slidable up and down on said faces, cords connected to the fork, and passing over the guides, a shaft located rearwardly of the forward axle of the machine, upon which said cords are operated to be wound and unwound, means for causing said shaft to be operated from the axle, at will, and a brake device for the shaft, comprising pulleys rigid with the latter, springs passing around said pulleys, and means operated from the rear part of the machine for compressing the springs tocause them to bear upon the pulleys.

In testimony whereof I have signed my" name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL MITSCH.

WVitnesses:

JAMES S. LARUs, SAMUEL L. BOOK. 

